The Adventures of Gold
by Hikami Kai
Summary: This story takes you through the life of fifteen year-old Gold as he travels through the Johto region with his Pokemon; battling fierce trainers and overcoming fierce battles of his own. He faces the new "Masters of Johto", Team Eidolon; how will he overcome this immense trial? This book is takes its place sometime after Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"The king lanced his sword in the air as though it was a flag, and the armies cheered, racing forward to win the war they had begun. The Bisharp were in heavy lines around the king, protecting their ruler from blades of Scyther and horns of Aggron. But the grounded beasts were not expecting an attack from above. A Charizard flew down with the speed of a Greninja and a Kirlia's grace, clasping its hands around the mighty, but young, king and ripping him from his Rapidash. The dragon flew him out a ways, and then dropped him into the middle of the fray. The king rolled to the ground, cape and crown flying off. He hit someone's leg, and hoped it was one of his own men. It was not. The enemy lifted his sword and with a terrifying battle cry swung it down with such great force that the king-"

"Gold! Gold would you come down, please?" Gold snapped the book shut with displeasure. He opened his bedroom door and trumped down the stairs, not caring to be silent for his sleeping younger sister. When his mother turned, he raised his eyebrows in annoyed question. "There you are. Would you go to Elm's lab? He requested you over the phone."

Despite his lack of appeal for Pokémon, Gold did enjoy the presence and ingenuity of the renowned, young scientist. He went upstairs and put on his sneakers and favorite hat, and not forgetting his bag, as he never knew what kind of missions or requests the man might ask of him next. He went down the stairs with a bit more enthusiasm, taking two at a time, and left the small house.

Newbark town was small and quiet, only interrupted by the Wingull that flocked by the sea, which came inland a bit to the east of his house. He never really liked the sea; it looked nice enough, but he could never really get over the smell. And the sound that might have been peaceful was interrupted by the squawks of sea birds.

He had only taken one or two steps when a blue ball of Pokémon rushed up towards him. Normally Pokémon stayed away from him, sensing his dislike, but this one was different because it knew him so well. It was Lyra's Marill, and there was nothing about it that he liked. She, however, had different ideas about their relationship, and proceeded to jump and climb all over Gold. Lyra quickly came to his rescue, calling the water Pokémon from her house, and took it inside. Relieved, Gold began the walk to the professor's lab.

Elm's research lab was a short ways away, just a few blocks, and it took him no time at all to reach the familiar destination. Not many people in the small town had or needed cars, and those that did kept them stored away inside garages and on driveways, so the streets were filled with children playing street hockey and soccer.

Gold was a generally kind, but often pessimistic fifteen year-old boy with dark hair and eyes. His dislike of Pokémon had a number of roots, one of which was linked to his father, who had loved his Pokémon, and traveling with them so much, that he left for Hoenn just two months after Nicole, his sister, was born.

Gold arrived at the shiny building known as Elm's Lab, and entered through the door. It creaked a familiar "hello" as he opened it, and a tiny bell above rang, announcing his arrival. A few of the other scientists in the place lifted their heads from their work and looked to see the newcomer. One or two greeted him, but most were so used to his being there, that they returned to their research. Gold walked to the very back of the lab, where pictures of Pokémon in the "transitional stages" of their evolution hung on the wall around the Professor's office.

Gold waited patiently for Elm to finish clicking away at his old keyboard, and finally the young, but quickly aging man looked up at the helpful teenager. "Gold, you're here. I needed to ask you a favor…," he paused for a moment, shifting through documents, "There's a man that you may have heard of that people call Mr. Pokémon. He keeps discovering amazing things about Pokémon, and says he's found something that I'll really be intrigued in, but won't tell me over the Pokégear. You wouldn't mind going to see what it is, would you?" Gold shook his head. "That's great!" He sounded a bit surprised, "He lives just outside of Cherrygrove, so you'll need a Pokémon to keep you safe. The routes beyond are filled with territorial creatures that won't hesitate to attack humans. Take all you like from that table over there," He pointed to a table where three PokéBalls sat inside of cylindrical cases. Above these were screens that showed the Pokémon and its ability and level.

The three Pokémon were all the same, low level, and each was as interesting as the next. A water, fire, and plant Pokémon. He didn't want any of them, but had already committed to Elm and would hate to let him down. His initial choice was the fire-type, Cyndaquil, but he knew that his father had had a Cyndaquil as his first Pokémon. He chose the water-type, Totodile. He released the PokéBall from its case and picked it up. The white button in the center projected a hologramic question "would you like to give this Pokémon a nickname?" Two choices resided below it: yes and no. Gold touched "no".

"One more thing, Gold!" Elm shouted as the boy left, "Make sure you keep the Pokémon you chose out of its PokéBall. I want you to observe and record the changes that take place in its emotions and emotion-based actions."

"Sure," Gold said in a less-than-pleased voice. He took out the PokéBall. He assumed that to release the monster, the middle button was pressed. He did so, but all that did was show the Totodile's statistics. It was all around okay at this level, but that wasn't what he was trying to do. He tried shaking it, poking at it and pressing everywhere at once like it was some sort of Chinese handcuff, but realized that he looked like an idiot and people were noticing.

He stepped outside and went around the side of the building. He continued trying. His mother had a Pokémon, but he refused to ask for help. What was it that they did on TV? Now he remembered, and hoped it would work. He threw the sphere into the air, and finally, the shrunken Totodile blew up to its regular size.

His eyes caught the brightest color of red to his right. A kid of his age stood there by the window of the lab. Gold disregarded him when he looked Gold's way. Gold briskly walked away from the delinquent looking teenager and returned to his house, grabbing his charging Pokégear from his room and leaving the small town.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Gold, followed closely by his new companion Totodile, trudged through the tall grass of Route 29. He had been through the route many times by car to get to the city beyond, Cherrygrove, but it was his first time walking.

The top of Totodile's head was barely visible when looking across the top of the grass, it was that tall, or Totodile was that short. Gold had to alert the poor croc of his position several times just through the first patch.

The route was small, but not small enough that he could see all the way to the end. Gold could hear the waves falling on top of one another, and could smell the sour ocean to the south, but he couldn't see it due to the fog of fir trees. The weather was nice, though, and reasonably warm; not like the wind that spun through Newbark, which was unprotected by the shield of trees around the clearing that made up the route. There were several hills throughout the route, and it was semi-rough terrain for the small beast that unwillingly followed him.

A Sentret scouted the two of them encroaching upon its herd's territory, and raced towards them to defend it. Gold narrowly dodged a scratch that would've landed on his head, and wished he could say the same for his hat, which was smacked into the ground. Gold immediately sent his Totodile out in front to defend himself.

The blue crocodile growled menacingly for its low level, and the two Pokémon rushed towards each other, exchanging a series of scratching and biting. Neither had any good, let alone powerful, attacks that were to be named; just basic survival skills (skills that Gold was clearly lacking in). Totodile landed a scratch on the circle on the stomach of his opponent, dealing critical damage to the normally well-protected circle.

The battle ended with the Sentret fainting for a few seconds before scattering off. Totodile's PokéBall vibrated in Gold's pocket. He pulled it out and it projected a hologram upon contact with his skin, "Congratulations," it read, "Totodile gained 15 Experience Points!" The projection closed on itself and the somewhat tired Totodile hopped back to Gold's side.

They encountered a few more territorial Sentret, as well as Pidgey, which were less aggressive, and Rattata. Totodile even gained a whole level just on the way to the next town. Gold found a Potion hidden in the grass, and saw a Green Apricorn at the top of a tree near the end of the route, the rest having been picked off by Hoothoot and Pidgey; perhaps even a Spearow or two. He couldn't quite reach it and had no place for it in his bag (he couldn't just set it inside to be squashed), or a reason to collect it, so he left it where it hung.

The two entered Cherrygrove city. It was a familiar place to Gold, but completely new territory to the small Pokémon that followed him. The city looked very much to Gold like a flipped version of Newbark town. The only difference was the pink flowers that dotted the skirts and the cherry blossom trees that mixed sweetly with the salty sea. There was also a Pokémon Center and a PokéMart, two things that Newbark was sorely lacking in. There were several rookie trainers that gathered in and around the town for the low leveled Pokémon that lived nearby. There were also veterans, leaving the battling to younger generations and retiring to the seaside.

One of these people approached Gold and Totodile. It was an acquaintance of his mother's, and the tour guide for the town. The town, though small in population, was popular with tourists when the cherry blossom trees were in bloom, and it was easily accessible by sea, unlike its brother, Ecruteak, which was an illegal place to fly over or to.

Totodile became a bit protective and began growling, but Gold nudged his new companion with his foot and the croc ceased its hostile behavior. The old man looked pleased to see Gold, and just as surprised to see him with a Pokémon.

"Hello there, Gold m'boy," he greeted. Gold bowed in greeting to the gentleman. "Come here by foot have ya'?"

"Yes, sir," Gold replied. "I'm on an errand for Professor Elm."

"Is that so?" The elderly man laughed with nostalgia and leaned on his cane, "Where are ya' headed, then?"

"To Mr. Pokémon's house just up the road," Gold answered, pointing in the general direction that he believed the renowned Pokémon researcher's house to be in.

"Oh?" The man paused and thought for a moment, "Well, I suppose you'll need a map? Hand me your PokéGear." Gold unstrapped the gear from around his wrist and handed it to the gray man. He took it in his hand and pushed a card into the slot on the side. "There, ya' are, now you can see your whereabouts from anywhere in Johto!"

"Thank you, sir, "Gold bowed again, "I'll be going now."

Gold took Totodile to the Pokémon Center, and was surprised by how fast he was healed. He also went to the next door PokéMart and bought another Potion. After this he left the town and headed for the next route, Route 30.

Route 30 had a much larger smorgasbord of Pokémon than the previous route. There were several Pokémon he knew the name of: Poliwag, Rattata, Weedle, Caterpie, Spinarak, but also many that he had never seen before.

He went inside the first house that he saw, but when he spoke with the man inside, it was not Mr. Pokémon, but a berry fanatic. He didn't leave empty-handed, however, as the man, so pleased with Gold's visit, gave him a case in which he was able to hold berries. Gold still had no need for berries, but took the case anyway to be kind. He pulled a low-hanging berry off of the tree beside the house, deciding to make use of the case.

After this, he had a choice to either go right or left. He decided to go left, as most people do when faced with such a decision, but was blocked by two trainers engaging in a battle. He turned back the other way and went right. This way proved far more fruitful, and he even saw a Hoothoot asleep in the hollow of a nearby tree.

Totodile leveled up again on the way there, and Gold discovered that he had recently learned to create a spurt of water in his mouth and shoot it out like a bullet at his opponent. This was extremely more effective than scratching and tearing the wild Pokémon into unconsciousness. It was an attack that others commonly called Water Gun.

Gold and Totodile finally made it to Mr. Pokémon's house and (after taking the berry off of a tree to the left of the small house) opened the door. The house was small and one-roomed, computers and research filled up most of the house, and bookshelves lined the walls. The only sleeping area was a leather couch in the back, and Gold wondered to himself how such a famous man could live in such a secluded building.

To Gold's surprise, there were two men in the house instead of the one he was there for, and he hoped that he had the right house this time. Thankfully, he hoped correctly, and the elderly men introduced themselves as Professor Oak and Mr. Pokémon.

"You must be Gold?" Mr. Pokémon required below his mustache.

"That's me," Gold replied.

"Good, good. I've discovered something for real this time, and I know that Elm will be interested!" He kept rambling in a mumble about his finding as he dug through a closed bookshelf.

"So, Gold," Oak began, "You're a Pokémon trainer?" He gestured to Totodile.

Gold was a bit surprised by the question and looked down at Totodile, who looked up at him. "O-oh, no. This is Professor Elm's Pokémon. I'm just using it to protect myself from the wild Pokémon."

"That's a shame…," The professor creaked, "You've got yourself a fine Pokémon; and rare too."

"Here it is!" Mr. Pokémon exclaimed, wheeling around on his heel, a large, cylindrical case, much like the one Totodile's PokéBall had been in, in hand. Inside, however, was not a PokéBall, but an oblong spherical shaped object that looked like a shiny rock. It puzzled Gold as to why such a rock was such a great discovery, but if there was one thing he had learned from growing up next to a scientist, it was that you never asked challenging questions of the professionals.

"Quite a remarkable find, indeed!" Oak admired, nodding in approval.

"Right…," Gold said slowly, "Well, I'll take my leave, then."

"Wait one moment, Gold!" Oak stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.

"Yes, sir?" Gold turned.

"Take this with you." He gave him a thin, red, rectangular item.

"What is it?"

"It's called a PokéDex. It automatically records any data that is found from Pokémon that you capture," He explained.

"Thanks, but I'm not a trainer. I won't be catching Pokémon," Gold said, trying to hand it back, but Oak wouldn't take it.

"Just take it. I have a hunch," He shrugged.

Gold put it in his pocket with a tinge of suspicion and left. He hadn't taken ten steps when he received a call from his PokéGear from Professor Elm. His words were fast and shaky, but Gold understood that he needed to return to the research lab as soon as possible.

Gold rushed back through the route, running from any and all wild Pokémon that tried to attack. He quickly arrived in Cherrygrove and was about to exit when he bumped into someone. Both fell to the ground, holding their heads. It was a boy with flaming red hair; the same person he had seen by the window of Professor Elm's laboratory.

"Ugh!" They both groaned.

"Watch where you're going!" The teenager shouted angrily.

"I could say the same to you," Gold snapped back. They stood and the other boy was about to run off, when he noticed Gold's Totodile.

"You got that from Professor Elm's lab, didn't you?" He said accusatorily.

"And what if I did?" Gold retorted.

"Well, nothing," He begun, "It's just that the one you chose has to be the worst possible choice!" This made both Totodile and Gold angry.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I also got a Pokémon from that quack's lab, and mine is superior in all ways!" The stranger taunted.

"Oh, yeah?" Gold challenged, "Prove it!"

"Gladly," He smirked. He threw a PokéBall into the air and the grass-type Pokémon he had seen on the screen in the lab popped out with a menacing growl. The four red eyes glinted eerily in the dimming light. For those few seconds that seemed hours, Gold forgot all about the Professor's plea of help in the passion and excitement that erupted the moment the enemy Chikorita was sent out of its PokéBall.

Gold didn't have to have plenty of battle experience or training to know how badly he wanted to beat this red-haired boy. He didn't need a long-lasting relationship with his blue compatriot to ignite the will to fight and win within every boy of his age.

"Chikorita, growl at it!" The boy commanded. The Chikorita released a low growl that nearly sent shivers down Totodile's spine.

"Totodile, use your Water Gun!" Gold ordered. Totodile worked up the water within its mouth, and then shot it at the rival Pokémon. The Chikorita dodged at the command of its trainer and leaped in to tackle the Totodile. Totodile rolled back several paces before landing on its back. Its exposed belly was quickly hit by the giant leaf on the Chikorita's head.

Totodile squealed in pain and kicked at the grass-type Pokémon. The Chikorita jumped back, not wanting to risk damage from the gator's huge jaws.

"Totodile, what's wrong? Get up! You have to beat him!" Gold shouted impatiently. Totodile slowly stood, one foot on his stomach.

At that moment, the oppressor seemed to have gained something, or thought he did, and he smirked and said, "Chikorita, Razor Leaf, finish this battle."

The Chikorita leaped into action. The leaf on its head glowed green and became the shape of a small scythe. It swung it towards Totodile.

"Totodile, Water Gun!"

Totodile attempted to shoot a water gun at it, but it was too late, and the Chikorita landed its super effective attack. Totodile rolled to the ground, this time unable to stand.

"Totodile! Totodile, stand up! You can't lose!"

"The mark of a bad trainer…," The red-haired teenager remarked, returning his Chikorita to her PokéBall and walking past Gold and his unconscious beast. He stopped behind him, and said, looking to the sky a bit as it was lit with the flames of the setting sun, "What a waste of time. Chikorita hardly gained any experience points at all. I'm going to be the strongest Pokémon trainer of all time, and a weakling like you definitely won't stop me. No; I, Silver, will become the champion of the Indigo League, and after that, the world…" He walked off.

Gold wanted to shout after him, but couldn't find the words. He now knew what he must do. He must become the world's most powerful trainer and overpass Silver, and then his father. _After I defeat my father in battle _he thought _maybe I'll be satisfied._

Gold suddenly remembered Professor Elm and hurriedly healed his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, before rushing back through Cherrygrove city and Route 29. Surprisingly, he found a way to go through Route 29 without having to touch a single blade of the tall, dark grass that Pokémon enjoy living in.

He ran through the empty streets of the windy Newbark and banked north towards to Lab. Totodile was having trouble keeping up, so he slowed his pace as they neared. What he saw was terrible. Yellow caution tape fenced off a shattered front door, and the place was surrounded by K-9s and officers. Gold went under the yellow tape, allowed clearance by Professor Elm, who was inside, and spoke with him about the incident.

"Gold, I'm so glad you're here!" Elm said, "I don't know why, but I feel that you're a great trainer, and just having you around makes me feel like the Cyndaquil is safer."

"What's going on here?" Gold asked in alarm at all of the sights.

"We're conducting an investigation," replied an officer who walked upon the scene, "Apparently a teenaged boy was spotted leaving the building with the PokéBall of a Pokémon called Chikorita in hand. He was described to have long, red hair, a black shirt, and jeans." Gold was shocked for a moment, and when he said nothing with his mouth opened, the officer asked him, "Do you know something about this?"

Gold nodded, "I just battled someone like that."

"Y-you did?" The officer whispered in surprise. "Did you happen to get his name?"

"He said his name was Silver, but he didn't tell me his last name," Gold began, "He battled me with a Chikorita, and he looked like you described."

"Great work. Please go speak to Harriet, that woman over there, and she will draw what he looked like if you explain it to her." Gold did this, and thought that Harriet did a decent job, and then the policeman packed up their things and left.

"Well, not to try and act like I'm not worried" began Elm, "But what was it that Mr. Pokémon wanted to show me?"

Gold had almost forgotten about the rock completely, but pulled it out of his gray bag. Elm jumped back in surprise when the rock revealed itself, and he bumped into the desk behind him.

"Is that what I think it is?" Elm said shakily with excitement. Gold raised his eyebrows as the professor snatched up the rock. "It is!" He exclaimed after further examination, "It's a Pokémon egg! This is such an incredible discovery!"

"Yes, that's great. Here's your Totodile back."

Elm looked at Gold in surprise for a few seconds, and then smiled. "I want you to keep Totodile."

"What am I going to do with a Totodile?" Gold asked, though he knew.

"Well, for starters, you two could take the Pokémon gym challenge," Elm suggested.

"Gym challenge?" Gold and Totodile looked at each other in question.

"Yes, it entails that you travel around the region, collecting badges from the eight gyms built in various locations. Once you have all eight, you have the chance to battle the Elite Four! Who knows? Maybe you'll even beat the champion!" He paused, "Haha! Just kidding! What do you think?"

Gold looked at the expectant little Totodile. He _did_ want to become the greatest trainer of all time, and he couldn't do that without a Pokémon. He accepted Elm's offer. After this, as it was very late, he went home, ate, and went to bed. He grabbed the journal he kept on his nightstand, but never used, and wrote down the day's events.

_These things were recorded on the fifteenth of October, 2000._


End file.
